In your Communicating for Success book you will see an article "In Search of a Majority" by James Baldwin on page 64-65. You will also find the article on the "Digitools 9 Files" web page. Read this article (you can check out a book after school and return the beginning of school the next day), and then respond to the following questions:
1. Define the word conundrums in your own words. 2. Define the word majority in your words. How does that relate to the how Mr. Baldwin describes majority? 3. In your life is there a group or a person that you think holds the majority? If so how does that majority compare to the sentence definition of majority? Sentence definition - greater number of people or things
Tyler McGreevy
2/23/2011 10:53:57 am
Ok let’s start with majority. Majority pretty much means the greater number or part of something. That is what I found. How does Mr. Baldwin and yours the same? It’s not the same but his definition means to influence something or someone. Conundrums mean anything that puzzles. Now who do I think that holds majority and is it a group or a person? It’s a group. I am talking about my family because they influence me to play sports or stay in school and be a good citizen. How does it compare? It compares because if someone does not influence someone or something it could change the future.
McKenzie Uto
2/23/2011 12:52:40 pm
Conundrums means that something is confusing to you or it puzzles you. In my opinion, every time I have heard majority in the past, I have always thought of the greater number or portion of something, just something that out numbers something else, but Mr. Baldwin describes it in a completely different manner, saying that “Majority is not an expression of numbers, of numerical strength…” The way he explains it (well from what I understand it to be) as it doesn’t matter the numbers, it doesn’t matter the power you hold or your political standings you still might not get what you want in the end. In his life, his definition of majority met that something had an impact on something else, he talked about the early days of our country and the men in power and how they influenced a lot of the things other people did when they moved into the new country. In my life, there are defiantly people that hold majority; my family, my friends, my… not so much of friends. They are all influencing me, either to do something or not do something. There are also majorities in my life that really make an impact, they decide what I can and can’t do with a vote. I have one new definition of majority thanks to this article out of the book.
McKenzie Uto
2/23/2011 12:56:30 pm
Tyler, I completely agree with you on the part with the people in your life and how they influence you! It was really easy to read you post and see how alike it is when it comes to the people in our lives and how they influence us, and on what they influence us on! Good job all in all! :)
Katlyn McClain
2/23/2011 03:34:16 pm
A conundrum is anything that puzzles you. Like a rubrics cube they are very puzzling and no matter how hard I try I can never get them to be all the same color on each side. There are many different definitions for Majority. The one most people refer to is the greater piece, number, or vote. I think like most people when it comes to the word Majority I think of the bigger number, piece, and vote. Like when comparing prices on cars you look at the price they are but you are comparing the numbers that create the price. It’s the same but just worded differently than what Mr. Baldwin said. I think a group holds the majority because that’s how it works in court rooms, on the play ground, and at other places we go everyday. I remember when we used to vote on the play ground what to play next as kids and we would raise our hands to choose which one we played. The one with the highest amount of votes won and we would go play that game whatever it was at the time. =) It compares well with the definition I gave because the side with the bigger part wins.
Katlyn McClain
2/23/2011 03:44:49 pm
Tyler- I agree with your thought on when I came to comparing. If people don’t influence you than things could be different in the future. I am totally with you on who influences you. My family has always influenced everything I do but I also have my friends that influence me. Over all I really liked your definitions. They were short and sweet but easy to understand.
Katlyn McClain
2/23/2011 03:54:30 pm
McKenzie- I really loved your comment. I love how you got a whole new view of what Mr. Baldwin had to say about the word Majority. Your totally right everyone not just your friends and family but even the people that you aren’t close to influence your choices. These choices may be good or bad but hopefully we all choose the good. It’s true that even if the majority says to do something they don’t always win and that’s a good thing depending on what the topic is. Over all I really enjoyed your new view and how you ended your comment with “I have one new definition of majority thanks to this article out of the book.”
Taylor Lewis
2/24/2011 02:48:45 am
1. The word conundrums in my words means like a trick, problem, or a puzzle. When he says, “One is faced with several Conundrums” I think it means they are faced with a puzzle or a problem they have to figure out.
Evan Wolf
2/24/2011 06:16:39 am
The word conundrum means something that puzzles you or is confusing. Its like a Joke you cannot find out it puzzles you that are what conundrum means. Majority means if you are taking a class vote and 10 kids vote for one thing and the other five vote for something else then the majority is those ten kids so they win the vote. I think in a school there are people like the teacher that have an over ruling of the kids so I think of that as they have the majority of the votes because they are the teacher and they say what happens in the class room. So there are usually a group of kids that when we vote in class vote for one think so they can have it their way. I think one way to get the majority of people on your side is to make more friends or just agree to what’s being said. Also I think that people that are hirer ranged can over overrule other people sop they can kind of have the majority with out have lots of people vote with them. If you want to vote for something they you believe in you need the majority on your side.
Evan Wolf
2/24/2011 06:16:55 am
Taylor Lewis-I totally agree with you I see what your saying I said the same thing about the teacher have more authority over the students.
Evan Wolf
2/24/2011 06:17:10 am
McKenzie-I Agree with your statement saying that numbers don’t madder I think that is there is a teacher or principle that there going to out rule any of the kids because the have hire authority over them.
Cody LaMunyan
2/24/2011 06:18:04 am
Conundrums- it means the answer to a pun or riddle.
Torrie Koller
2/24/2011 06:37:23 am
Katlyn – I loved your example! The rubric cube made your comment so interesting and made me want to continue reading. And I agree there are many different definitions for majority, that’s why each person’s opinion matters in what you say!
Torrie Koller
2/24/2011 06:37:39 am
McKenzie – I agree with you, every time I have previously heard majority I have though numbers but now I have a new view kind of. I like how descriptive you were about your understanding of this article. So overall great job! ☺
Torrie Koller
2/24/2011 06:37:57 am
Conundrums to me are decisions; in the text it says, “one may be faced with many conundrums meaning to me faced with many decisions. Majority to me is numbers ill always hear people say majority rules as in there are more people who voted and they won so basically just the more people. But in the text majority to him “Majority is not an expression of numbers” so to him it is how strong you feel about something and how your willing to prove it. I feel like Mr. Lumunyan holds majority over much of our school meaning if he wants something he’s going to get it. It compares because when he feels really strong about something it’s going to get done.
Mackie Monahan
2/24/2011 06:38:41 am
Katlyn: I really liked the example you used for conundrums. It was really good. Thank you Katie! :D
Mackie Monahan
2/24/2011 06:39:09 am
After reading “In search of a majority An Address” I looked at the way I define majority very differently.
Mackie Monahan
2/24/2011 06:39:43 am
Tyler, I agree with you and the point about people that influence you. Parents and family do influence me a lot too. Thanks
Tyler McGreevy
2/24/2011 08:10:38 am
Mackie Monahan- I Strongly agree with you because teachers and administrators do try to majority us so we can have a good life when were older.
Tyler McGreevy
2/24/2011 08:22:51 am
McKenzie Uto- I Awesomely agree with you about that you always thought majority was the greater number or portion of something because I probably thought it meant that to. When I heard it in the past.
Taylor R. Prince
2/24/2011 11:49:33 am
Taylor Rose Prince
2/24/2011 12:08:49 pm
Mackie,
Cody,
2/24/2011 12:09:45 pm
Taylor Rose Prince
2/24/2011 12:17:21 pm
Cody,
McKenzie Uto
2/25/2011 12:31:20 am
Katie, I love how you explained the definition of a conundrum! It was great how you gave an example such as a rubrics cube! The comparison was great!
RIley Bott
2/25/2011 03:18:30 am
Tyler McGreevy- Tyler I looove your opinion on the whole deal about majority. Very good keep it up.
Riley Bott
2/25/2011 03:21:19 am
McKenzie Uto- Mckenzie I really liked your opinion on conundrums and majority.
Riley Bott
2/25/2011 03:21:47 am
To me the word conundrum, after reading this article, means to me anything that can be puzzling. The word majority to me I like the amount of a specific group. An example could be like the majority of the class voted to have the party on Friday. Mr. Baldwin describes majority as a not an expression of numbers, of numerical strength, for example. In my life someone that hold the majority has the people voting for what he believes in and that he has the majority of the people behind him and supporting him. It compares to the sentence definition almost the same.
David Kittrell
2/25/2011 03:22:35 am
Conundrum- something that is confusing.
Taylor Lewis
2/25/2011 03:46:54 am
Uto - I agree with your definition of Conundrums. I also think it means confusing or puzzling. I also agree with you majority statement. I always thought of it as a larger number.
Taylor Lewis
2/25/2011 03:47:07 am
Katlyn – I like how you compared the word Conundrums to a rubrics cube. I think that’s a good way to compare something confusing or puzzling. By the way a trick to beating the rubrics cube is you take off the stickers or take it apart at least that’s what I do.
Carol Entrup
2/25/2011 04:15:15 am
The definition of a conundrum is a question or a problem. A conundrum to me is a question I need answers to. It is anything that I do not know. If I have a question or something I don’t understand then that is a conundrum to me. To me a conundrum also represents a problem. Majority to me is who is in charge. The person in charge, usually, even if there’s just one person and a thousand others has the most power and influence. Therefore the decisions being made usually favor that person. Mr. Baldwin describes majority as the person or people who have the most influence over others. I agree with that even though in some cases that is not a good thing at all. Everyone needs to have their own opinion and if you let someone influence into thinking differently then your not really yourself anymore. In my life the person who holds the majority would be adults. If my mom or someone older than me asks me to do something then I must do that and not argue even if I disagree. It compares basically the same.
Carol Entrup
2/25/2011 04:15:29 am
Taylor-
Carol Entrup
2/25/2011 04:15:48 am
Katlyn-
Wyatt Hyer
2/25/2011 04:18:42 am
The word conundrum to me means that a lot of things are puzzling. The word in the article pretty much means the same thing. Majority means, to me, the more people vote on anything they have the majority and get there way. However in the article Mr. Baldwin describes majority differently. Many people now have majority. One example is that the people of the United States have the majority over the government. The majority might have a higher vote in something and get it when the thing they are voting for is, some peoples perspective, wrong. This is what I think about this weeks discussion question.
Wyatt Hyer
2/25/2011 04:19:14 am
Taylor P. - I looove your opinion on Mr. Baldwin and Majority. Good job you did great!
Wyatt Hyer
2/25/2011 04:19:25 am
David Kittrell- I like how you made it organized and everything is clear. Influential is a pretty big word I wonder how you learned to spell that? Good job keep it up!
Mrs. Miller
2/25/2011 04:28:55 am
So even though I want quality work not just quantity, I am going to have to grade down those of you who one can't spell or proofread your work, and those who can't put some higher quality into your answers. As I had said at the beginning your initial comment needs to be well thought out, answer all the questions presented, and between 100-200 words. Your responses to others students need to include their name and say more than good job, I agree. I want some thought back to them and it is okay to disagree in a constructive way. Those with a one sentence reply will not get counted as replies, so put a little more effort forth in your DQing.
Kelcey
2/25/2011 08:36:54 am
Great job Katlyn! I agree with your paragraph. I couldn't ever get the colors of the rubrics cube on the same side either!
Shelby Fuchs
2/25/2011 08:37:04 am
OK so the first thing is the meaning of conundrum, this is something that is puzzling or super confusing. Secondly a majority to most dictionary's define it as a the biggest of something. When I looked majority up the definitions had either the word number or greater in it. But to Mr. Baldwin expresses that it is not in numbers but with the most influence. One example of a majority that does not consist of numbers but of influence could be business or companies. One company could be small but is organized and influential and would get bigger eventually but a big company with bad service and pushes people away would go bankrupt or be sold out.
Shelby Fuchs
2/25/2011 08:40:05 am
Hey Carol I love how you made a simple but to the point example. I agree with you completely. Plus your idea of the person like your example has a part to do with how you act ,too.
Shelby Fuchs
2/25/2011 08:43:59 am
Katie M.- LOL! I would have never thought of a rubics cube as a example for conundrum. That was very creative. Great job Katie!
Kelcey
2/25/2011 09:16:56 am
The word conundrum means problem. It’s a paradoxical, insoluble, or difficult problem; a dilemma. However it can also mean a question asked for amusement, typically one with a pun in its answer, like a riddle. Now, the word majority means, in my opinion, more than half the original number. For example; The majority of the students have eaten breakfast today. But it is usually thought as the greater number of people or things. This compares to Mr. Baldwin’s definition as almost an opposite. I believe what Mr. Baldwin was trying to get across is that the “majority” is more like the power. A political figure may be only one person, but many influence thousands, or more! That also means that just because you have numbers or influential people on your side, does not mean that you can control the outcome.
Kelcey
2/25/2011 09:38:28 am
Taylor Prince,
EstherS
2/25/2011 10:26:08 am
A conundrum is a very difficult problem. Sometimes I have a conundrum with my homework. Other conundrums are puzzles or riddles. I like solving conundrums, but I like asking them the best.
Esther
2/25/2011 10:28:09 am
Katie M.- I like the reference to the rubic cube. That is a conundrum I don't like. That's a great example!
Esther S
2/25/2011 10:32:07 am
Uto- You made a good point in that we all exert and influence, whether we know it or not. I know that I look up to alot of people and so I guess that they unknowingly are a majority!
Emma Woodland
2/25/2011 11:13:24 am
In my own words I think conundrum means something that puzzles you or confuses you. But it could also mean like an answer to a puzzle or play on words like “What is black and white and read all over?” A lot of people get faced conundrums almost everyday and they can be fun but also can be very confusing. I think majority means like the greater part of a number. Or like the number larger than half the total. It relates because Mr. Baldwin describes it as being that majority is not an expression of numbers. His definition is something that an impact on something else. My personal opinion I think the majority in my life would be students. This is because well for the most part of my life I have been in school and more than half of everybody at school I would have to say that the majority would be the students. This compares to the definition because the students would be more than half of the total.
Emma Woodland
2/25/2011 11:14:01 am
Katlyn M. –I agree with you 100% especially about conundrums. They are a lot like rubrics cubes and some people are just better at solving rubric cubes. And I also agree with your description of majority.
Emma Woodland
2/25/2011 11:14:42 am
Taylor P.- I think the way you put it was amazing!!:) I also agree that every individual should have an equal voice and the greater number should determine the results. So when the majority of the people vote one way that is usually the outcome.
Tori Sullivan
2/25/2011 11:32:18 am
A conundrum is a difficult problem; much like a riddle. When James Baldwin says “One is faced with several Conundrums” I think he is trying to process the fact that in life we are faced with many obstacles.
Tori Sullivan
2/25/2011 11:38:33 am
Taylor Prince,
Maria Meyers
2/25/2011 11:49:19 am
I believe that a conundrum is a confusing situation. To me, majority means most. Everybody knows the whole 'majority rules' thing, and that is exactly it. The majority usually overpowers all. Mr. Baldwin says that majority has everything to do with influence. This relates to what I think about majority because usually if somebody does something, somebody else will be influenced. More and more people will then become influenced, making something the majority. Take stuff like Hollister and mainstream music for example. A majority of us follow these kind of things.
Tori Sullivan
2/25/2011 11:50:26 am
Esther Scoggin,
Maria Meyers
2/25/2011 11:50:53 am
Torrie- I liked your definition about conundrums. I didn't really think of it as being a decision, but it really is.
Maria Meyers
2/25/2011 11:53:42 am
Tori- You are right that majority does have a lot of different meanings. Mr. Baldwin has an interesting take on majority. Althought there is a lot of different meanings, they can all sort of be connected.
neosha ren
2/25/2011 11:59:12 am
My personal understanding of conundrum is something that may confuse or puzzle you. Another understanding of conundrum can be the answer to something such as a puzzle or word puzzle such as “ what car has five wheels”?. People may not notice that they face these conundrums, a lot of the time they can be fun!.
neosha ren
2/25/2011 12:02:43 pm
Emma- I really liked your word puzzle example! It was a good idea. I thought you had all good definitions.
neosha ren
2/25/2011 12:05:29 pm
Esther- your definitions where very good. They where very easy to understand, I thought you did very well.
Consuelo Arteaga
2/25/2011 02:24:54 pm
Conundrums means something that is confusing or something that you don't quite understand, something that puzzles you. Like a riddle that you don't understand but then find it funny when someone explains it to you. The word majority can mean so many things, but to me in my own words I think it means the most of something. Mr. Baldwin was saying that it doesn't mean numbers that we need to find the definition for that. In my life, there are a lot of people that are majority for example my family and friends. My family influence me in so many good ways. They show me how to be a good hard working person and how it can pay off in the future. My friends show me that being a good person and a good friend can mean a lot to one particular person in your life, and that every single good thing you do is worth in the future.
Consuelo Arteaga
2/25/2011 02:27:54 pm
Carol- I think that you made a very good point with what you said about having your own opinion and not letting anyone change it. I've had my own opinion before and people have tried to change it, but i stuck with what i believed in. Good Job Carol! :)
Consuelo Arteaga
2/25/2011 02:32:39 pm
Evan- I loved how you explained what majority meant. It made a lot of sense and you helped me understand it better! Good Job! Comments are closed.
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